Red Sox: Steven Wright watches All-Star Game from bullpen
By Sean Penney
Boston Red Sox starter Steven Wright has been one of the league’s best starters this season, but wasn’t treated as such during the All-Star Game.
It’s been a remarkable journey for knuckleball pitcher Steven Wright, who spent years trying to prove himself at the minor league level before finally breaking out as the surprise ace of the Boston Red Sox this season.
Wright entered the break leading the American League with a 2.68 ERA in 114 innings, piling up 94 strikeouts en route to earning a 10-5 record. His production should have made him worthy of being in the conversation to start the All-Star Game, yet instead he ended up watching the entire game from the bullpen.
AL manager Ned Yost had one of the best starters in the league at his disposal and didn’t bother to use him? 10 pitchers were called upon to take the mound for the AL in their 4-2 victory Tuesday night, but Wright wasn’t one of them. What was Yost thinking?
He was probably thinking about protecting his catchers, who lack experience working with a knuckleball pitcher. Yost certainly wasn’t about to embarrass his own guy, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who started the game for the AL.
Next: The passed ball dilemma